Stapling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Stapling apparatus used for stapling copy sheets into booklets produced from documents copied in repeated cycles which includes a tray mechanism having movable side guide members capable of receiving different size sheet material fed along a predetermined path from a processor. The sheet material is stopped by a gate mechanism which is positioned adjacent to the tray mechanism and is operative to move from one position in the sheet path to a second position out of the sheet path in response to discrete electrical signals. The stapling assembly is operative to drive staples one staple at a time into each pile of sheets collected and held in registration by the tray mechanism and gate mechanism in response to electrical signals. A solenoid actuated eject roll mechanism is used to eject the stapled pile of sheets after the gate mechanism has been lifted out of the gate path and move the staple pile to the receiving tray. A control circuit supplies the signals necessary to carry out the program logic of the various components of the stapling apparatus in timed relation.

PATENTEUAUGZZ 1972 3.685.712 SHEET 01 UF i8 INVENToRs. LYMAN H. TURNER WILLIAM R KUKUCKA er JAMES asuMMERs MAM ATTORNEY PATENTED M1822 |972 1685712 SHEET OMUF 18 F/G. 3l

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STAPLING APPARATUS This invention relates to apparatus for automatcally printing and stapling sheets into booklets.

As is well known in the art of bookmaking, it is generally necessary to first print or copy sheets and then gather groups of different sheets in a definite order referred to as collating. The operation of printing and then collating sheets into booklets usually requires several steps, the last of which is taking one sheet from each of a number of printed stacks and putting these sheets together in the order desired. l

Normally the collating of the sheets into booklets by hand isslow an cumbersome. Also, the number of people necessary is considerable and the likelihood of making a mistake great.

Present devices for mechanically collating sheets into booklet form have the disadvantage of being prolix and costly and have not been entirely satisfactory.

The present invention enables automatic collating and stapling of sheet material into booklets. To-accomplish this, a stapling apparatus accepts copy sheets from a processor and registers them in a pile, and then drives staples one at a 4time in sequence to form finished booklets. l

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the priiiting of booklets.

It is another object of the present invention to enable copy sheets from a processor to be stapled into packs in a manner more simple and cheaper than heretofore.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for producing collated sets of copies from precollated document material to be reproduced.

It is another object of the present invention to provide method and apparatus for stapling sheet material in a manner more expeditious than heretofore.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a staple finishing apparatus which is simple and compact in design.

These objects as well as others will become more apparent upon considering the` following description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: ,A

FIG. l is a perspective view of a copying machine incorporating a finishing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. la is a view of the machine control panel section for the finishing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the exterior of tlie finishing apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the finishing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a end sectional view of the finishing apparatus;

FIGS. 4a-c are end sectional views illustrating the various positions for the the cover of the finishing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the finishing apparatus with parts in Vsection to illustrate certain details thereof;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the sheet receiving tray assembly;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a paddle wheel;

FIGS. 7a-c illustrate in sequence the action of a rotating paddle wheel on moving sheet material;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side and end views, respectively, of the staple head assembly;

FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are sectional views illustrating sequentially the details of operation of the stapling head assembly;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are sectional views illustrating details of the feed of the staple roll;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic showing of the staple drive circuit;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the side stacking assembly;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the output receiving tray assembly illustrating details of the elevation control thereof; and

FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 are diagrams of the control circuits ofthe finishing apparatus.

GENERAL For a general understanding of reproduction apparatus with which the present invention may be incorporated, reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein various components of a typical electrostatic printer system are illustrated. The printer system is of the xerographic type and is generally designated with the reference numeral 10. As in all xerographic systems, reference light image of an original to be reproduced is projected onto the sensitized surface of xerographic plate to` form an electrostatic latent image. Thereafter, the latent image is developed with toner material to form a xerographic powder image corresponding to the latent image on the plate surface. The powder image is then electrostatically transferred to a record material such as a sheet or web of paper or the like to which it may be fused by a fusing device whereby the powder image is caused permanently to adhere to the surface of the record materi- The xerographic processor indicated by the reference numeral 11 is arranged as a self-contained unit having all of its processing stations located in a unitary enclosure or cabinet. The printer system includes an exposure station at which alight radiation pattern of a document to be reproduced is positioned on a glass platen 12 for projection onto a photoconductive surface in the form of a xerographic belt 13. The document is transported by a recirculating document feed apparatus 15 from the bottom of a stack 17 on a supply tray 19 to the platen for exposure and then returned to the top of the supply tray on completion of the exposure until the entire stack has been copied at which time the cycle may be repeated as described in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 781,287, filed on Dec. 4, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,512, issued Jan. 19, 1971 entitled Document Feed Apparatus and commonly assigned with the present invention.

Imaging light rays from the document as flash illurninated by lamps 18 are projected by a first mirror 20 and a projection lens 21 and another mirror 23 onto the belt 13 at the focal plane for the lens 21 at a position indicated by the dotted line 25.

As an interface structure and for unobstructive optical projections, the side of the cabinet is formed with an enlarged rectangular opening to permit the projection of image light rays from the lens 21 to the rriirror 23. Similarly, the cabinet supporting the document plane is formed with a corresponding rectangular opening that mates with the opening in the printer cabinet when the two cabinets are operatively joined together for copy/duplicating purposes. Suitable light-tight 

1. Stapling apparatus comprising tray means including side guide members for receiving sheet material along a predetermined path, gate means positioned adjacent said tray means operative to move from one position in the sheet path to block the movement of sheet material therealong to a second position out of the sheet path in response to discrete electrical signals, stapling means operative for driving staples one at a time into sheet material collected and held in registration by said gate means and said tray means in response to discrete electrical signals, eject means to eject a stapled pile of sheet material upon actuation of said gate means to a position out of the sheet path, and circuit means to control the operation of said gate means, stapling means and eject means in a predetermined sequence.
 2. Stapling apparatus comprising tray means including side guide members for receiving sheet material along a predetermined path, gate means positioned adjacent said tray means operative to move from one position in the sheet path to block the movement of sheet material therealong to a second position out of the sheet path in response to discrete electrical signals, stapling means operative for driving staples one at a time into sheet material collected and held in registration by said gate means and said tray means in response to discrete electrical signals, eject means to eject a stapled pile of sheet material upon actuation of said gate means to a position out of the sheet path, circuit means to control the operation of said gate means, stapling means and eject means in a predetermined sequence, and a rotating paddle member positioned in the sheet path in front of said gate means for imparting a force on said sheet material at right angles to the path against a one of said guide members.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 where said side guide members are adjustable to accommodate different size sheet material transported along the sheet path.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 including an output receiving tray means positioned to receive stapled piles of sheet material from said eject means and operative to lower continually to maintain a constant level with the sheet path as the sheet material is collected thereon.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein output receiving tray means includes adjustable side guide members operatively connected to said side guide members of said tray means for movement in conjunction therewith.
 6. In a copying apparatus for producing stapled piles of copies from documents advanced from a supply source to a copier platen and then returned to the supply source in repeated cycles, and improved stapling apparatus for stapling the copies in sets corresponding to the documents being copied comprising tray means including side guide members for receiving sheet material along a predetermined path, gate means adjacent said tray means operative to move from one position in the sheet path to a second position out of the sheet path in response to the discrete electrical signals, stapling means operative to drive staples one at a time into a pile of sheets collected in registration by said gate means and tray means in response to discrete electrical signals, eject means to eject a stapled pile of sheets upon said gate means being moved to a position out of the sheet path, circuit means to control said gate means, stapling means and eject means in timed sequence with the operation of said copier machine, and a rotating paddle member positioned in the sheet path in front of said gate means for imparting a force on said sheet material at right angles to the path against a one of said guide members. 